Bookstores, Snowballs and Dreidels
by dragongoddess13
Summary: Day 4 of the Darcy Lewis December Images Challenge on Tumblr Darcy may not celebrate Christmas, but she's willing to give it a try for a certain former American War Vet.


A/N: This is part of the Darcy Lewis December Images Challenge.

Day 4

Bookstores, Snowballs and Dreidels

Darcy Lewis December Challenge

xXx

The smell was heavenly, old books stacked to the ceiling. "It's like Geek Christmas." Darcy murmured to herself. Behind her Natasha chuckled.

"I had a feeling you'd like this place." Pepper added. Darcy smiled as she took on the sights before her. It was literally heaven for her. Every section of the old bookstore was labeled with signs hanging from the ceiling, and under each sign were stacks upon stacks of old books. She was almost certain they were held up with the will power of whoever stacked them.

Once she'd looked her fill, Darcy reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of scratch paper with a list of books on it.

Starting with the first one on the list she began scanning the stacks.

xXx

Two days ago.

There was nothing Darcy loved more than Snow; except when it was being thrown at her.

Darcy ducked behind a hedge, narrowly dodging the snowball aimed at her ass. Bucky's cackling sending a need for revenge coursing through her veins.

"Fuck you Barnes!"

"Hey, if you insist doll face, but at least let me but you dinner first." She growled, literally growled in reply, crawling along the back of the edge before jumping to her feet and running for the closest tree. She knew he saw her, she also knew he was playing with her.

Darcy was under no illusions that she was outmatched. James Barnes was a master marksman even before his time as the winter soldier. If he had actually wanted to hit her he would have before she'd noticed he was there. Knowing her chances of beating him from a distance were slim, Darcy devised a different plan.

Carefully she moved the strap of her saddle bag off her shoulder and hung it from a low tree branch. Then, she crouched down, scooping up a handful of snow and waited.

She'll never understand how he makes no sound even on the snow so it was his shadow that eventually gave him away. She counted to five before jumping out of her hiding place. He turned just in time to catch her as she jumped on him, shoving the handful of snow down the front of his shirt.

"Shit." He cursed, dropping her on her ass. "Fuck doll, that's dirty, even for me."

"What the hell is it with you and my ass?" She grumbled, rubbing the sore spot on her tail bone. She looked up at him, trying her hardest to laugh as she watched him wiggle and dance, pulling at his shirt to rid the inside of snow. He caught her eye, stopping when he realized she had lost her battle and was silently laughing at him.

"I bet you think you're so funny." He told her, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I do, actually. Probably just as much as you think yourself funny." He chuckled.

"Fair enough." He smirked, reaching down and scooping her up. He set her on her feet and they began the trek up to Avengers Mansion.

"Oh, my bag." Darcy stopped abruptly. "Go on ahead, I'll be right there." She called back as she made a dash for the outer yard where she left her saddle bag. She grabbed it and then headed back inside where she found Bucky removing his wet boots and coat. Darcy tossed her bag on the floor and moved to do the same.

"The Great Gatsby?" Bucky questioned, picking up the small novel that peaked out from under the flap.

"Yea, it's one of my favorites." She replied absently, throwing her coat up on a hook.

"Mine too." He murmured more to himself.

"Really? I never pictured you as a reader." Bucky turned to her with a smirk.

"Well I'm just full of surprises sweetheart." She laughed. "Seriously though, I had a pretty impressive collection growing up. Used to buy a new book anytime I had the extra money to spare. Anything I could get my hands on, I'd read."

He looked up from the cover and blushed when he realized she was smiling at him. He handed the book back.

"I take it nothing got saved." Bucky shook his head.

"Naw, about a month after I fell there was a fire, ate up the whole building we lived in. Everything was lost."

"I'm sorry." He shrugged. He didn't see much sense in being upset over something he couldn't fix. He handed the book back.

"What books did you have?" He shrugged again.

"All kinds, more than most people like me at that time."

"Well, what were your favorites?" He paused to think about it.

"Well, there was 'The Wonderful Wizard of OZ' and 'The Grapes of Wrath', um... Oh, 'Frankenstein' and 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn'. My favorite was of course 'The Great Gatsby' but there was also 'Riders of the Purple Sage' which was my Dad's and My Sherlock Holmes collection."

"Wow, you really do have great taste." He chuckled. Before he could reply, Jarvis spoke up.

"Pardon the interruption Sgt. But Captain Rogers is waiting for you in the gym."

"Thanks Jarvis, I'll talk to you later doll."

When Bucky was gone, Darcy scooped up her bag and set the book back inside. "Hey Jarvis?" She called out.

"Yes Miss Lewis?"

"Do you remember all those books?"

"Of course Miss, I shall email the list to you."

"Thanks J."

"What are you up to dorogoy?" Natasha questioned as she entered the kitchen to find Darcy spread out at the table.

"Working on Bucky's Christmas gift."

"Aren't you Jewish?" Pepper added as she entered behind Natasha.

"Yea, but, Bucky's Catholic. I can't give him a Hanukkah gift." Natasha looked amused as she sat across from her.

"James no longer believes in God, dorogoy. You could get him a gift for Kwanza and it would make no difference to him. As long it comes from you he will be happy." Darcy blushed.

"You really think so?" Pepper smiled at Natasha's exasperation.

"I swear the two of you together are worse than Tony when it comes to your feelings." She laughed.

"Anyway," Natasha began. "What did you have in mind?"

Darcy handed her the list Jarvis had made her. "Bucky and I were talking about books, apparently he had a really extensive collection and his family lost it all in a fire after he fell. He seemed kinda bummed so I was gonna get him his favorites. The problem is I can't find a decent used book store."

"Used?" Pepper asked. Darcy nodded.

"Yea, the way Bucky talked about them you just knew they were well worn. It doesn't seem right to get him brand new copies. He needs copies with history, like him."

Natasha smiled at her.

"I think I know just the place."

xXx

Christmas Eve

Darcy was telling Steve, Clint and Bucky how to play with her dreidel after Christmas Eve dinner when Tony walked in and announced it was time to open presents. They had all decided ahead of time that they would celebrate Christmas with each other on the Eve since most of them had plans the following day.

They all gathered around the tree and picked out the gifts with their own names on them. They tore into the packages one at a time. Darcy made sure to save Bucky's for last. She was just getting ready to open up the small like package when she felt someone take a seat beside her. She turned to find Bucky smiling at her and if she wasn't mistaken there were tears threatening to fall. She looked down, finding the assortment of paperbacks and hardcovers in his hands.

"Thank you Darcy." He replied softly. She smiled sweetly. "You gonna open that." He nodded to the box. She looked down at it before looking back up at him with a wider smile.

"Okay." She finally said, looking back down and ripping into the beautiful silver and blue paper. Inside was a black velvet box and inside that, a beautiful silver snowflake necklace inlaid with Andamooka opals. "Oh Bucky, it's beautiful."

"Seemed fitting." She blushed. "Happy Hanukkah, doll."

"Merry Christmas, Bucky."


End file.
